On Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, an amazing gathering of birth related professionals joined to celebrate those who provide outstanding care to families during the perinatal period. I felt honored to be a part of such an incredible group of passionate, dedicated men and women who have centered their lives around helping women prenatally, during birth, and postpartum. Congratulations to all who were nominated, all finalists, and of course all winners. Want to see who won? www.austinbirthawards.org

How does a doula really make a difference?Results from different studies have all suggested that having a doula reduces the overall cesarean rate by 50%, Pitocin use by 40% and requests for epidurals by 60%. The use of a doula also showed a major reduction in the length of labor due to fewer stress hormones being produced in the laboring woman’s body.